The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-11-12

TO be on hand thai evening with my
6noe. He was more gracious IN his
uinner, and gave me some money as
Guarantee of good faith. | did not know
ilat / was to be a party to an elopement
? / might have objected to doing
wrong action against Col. Taylor, for
shom had the highest regard. 1t
came about. ho,, sver, that | was Mt the
slough after the sun went down, and
waited patiently Tor the young officer.
~ had waited some time when heard
footsteps, and turning, | SAW jeff Davis
and Col. Tavlors daughter hurrying to-
ward me. Not word was spoken as he
lifted her tenderly to a seat i'll the canoe,
and followed, taking up my paddle.
We vent down the slough to where it
joined the river. The young woman
began to cry softly as we swept into the
stream, and JEFF drew her head over on
his shoulder as he spoke to her in a
soothing voice. Across the river We
drifted, and the sound of my paddle
could no. be heard a furlong away. Not
loud word was spoken in that silent
voyage. and was Mt loss to under
stand the whole affair. We kept on
across the river, and every few moments
took OCCASION to glance around to see
how my passengers were getting along.
The girl had ceased her crying, and by
the way she rested her head on the bos-
ON of the young Lieutenant somehow
became convinced that she was not alto
xether unhappy. We landed on the OPP
posite shore below the island, aud ]
waited with some interest to see what
would happen next. Presently l saw
three men emerge froai the thick under
brush some distance from the river
bank, and JEFF Davis put some money in
my hand and told me to return. 1
learned afterward that one of these three
men who came up on the river bank WAS
o priest, but never found out who the
others were, and neither did ascertain
the name Ot the priest. Before 1 had
reached the place in the slough where I
mo1ed my canoe heard the noise Of
1ver steamer coming down from st.
Paul. She halted below the island in
the middle of the stream, for distinct
ly heard the engines reverse aud knew
that JEFF Davis and his bride were about
TO pass down the Mississippi to the
South. The next day watched closely
for glimpse of Co. Taylor, but the old
soldier was too circtlmspect in his &C
tons to betray any anxiety. l was in.
formed that Davis too. the young wo
man from an upper window in the log
cabin, and with the assistance of the
chaplain was enabled to c,s her beyond
the picket lines unobSrvcd. There
was no doubt that the chaplain was on
the other side of the river to witness the
marriage, and that he conveyed to Col.
TAYLOR the news of the clopement.
81 was away from Fort Crawford for
some time after this episode, and heard
no more about it. 1t is, however, O
matter of history that Col Taylor was
never wholly reconciled to the marriage.
1t is stated that after the battle of Buens
Vista Taylor visited jeff Davis as he lay
wounded in his tent, and extended his
hand TO him. although there was no fur
Their reconciliation. Davis hal undoubt-
edly won the battle with the Mississippi
Rifles, and Taylor could not fail to rec
ognize such gailantry. Time and time
again have heard this story of mine
called falsehOod. but it is true, AMI J
an ready to stand by it."